Corpse Tactician
by dark habit
Summary: I died saving her. Most people would say I did my part. However, I swore to protect her to the end, and I don't plan on backing out on my word... Even if I have to do it from beyond the grave.
1. Chapter 1

**DH: Back from hibernation, and I am sorry for straight up disappearing on everyone. Man, need to stop apologizing every chapter I write. Interesting news, Jem is tracking down someone on his kill list, and Vincent, not able to ignore an assassination, went with him. So they aren't here.**

**Warren: Which is why I am back here again.**

**DH: For the record, still have not forgiven you for the Tharja incident.**

**Warren: IT'S BEEN FOUR MONTHS!**

**DH: I NEEDED 50 STITCHES! All because Hope got the first story. **

**On the other hand, this story is a sequel to my NWDYHM. I highly recommend you read that first. If you didn't, hears a brief rundown. Chrom marries Sumia, He and Hope get drunk, they have an affair, Hope gets pregnant, Lucina and Morgan court, not aware they are related, Hope reveals her tryst, they all cope, Risen attack, Morgan gets killed by a Deadlord, Hope goes psycho, Morgan has postmortem chat with the manifestation of his memories, they resurrect themselves, and now Morgan is a freaking Risen. Confused yet? Good… READ THAT STORY!**

"**We believe in the future you weave, whatever it may be." Leon, Rune Factory 4**

**Chapter 1**

Day After

Morgan's POV

_I am a Risen… I am a monster. _**You are still on that? **_UNLIKE YOU, I didn't know it would happen, so YES, I am still on that. Wait, does this count as arguing with myself? _**Probably. Wait why is Walhart coming over here? **

Considering I am an hour walk from camp, Walhart wouldn't be casually strolling along this path. He had to be coming for me specifically. He stops under the tree I have been sitting in.

"Boy, are you here?"

"*_sigh_* I am up here. Why are _you_ here?"

"I think that you someone who understands what's happened to you to talk to. Since we are in the same circumstance, I think I understand better than most."

"What can you say to help me through being _dead_!?

"Simple, I can tell you the positives of being a Risen."

"Positives? You have to be kidding."

"I am not. Have you realize you have been out of camp all night and half the day… and you have not yet felt tired?

_Now that I think of it, I should be exhausted by now._**Weird, I didn't notice either.**

"Risen don't need sleep, they can march for days and still be in fighting shape."

I drop out of the tree. "So I can't escape my problems through sleep?"

All of a sudden he smashes his fist into my face, flooring me. I rub my injured cheek, "What the HELL!"

"You need to stop sulking, but that was for another reason. Notice anything?"

**Should the pain have faded that quickly?** _Yeah, it should still be at least sore._

"We recover from injury fast?"

"No, to us, WE DON'T FEEL PAIN. The pain you experienced was your mind telling you that you should be hurting before your body realized you can't. The only blows that are important for us are the ones that would kill us."

**So that's why the Risen we fought never flinched from our blows, I thought it was because they didn't have the free will to respond to the pain, when they never had any pain to begin with!**

"Maybe there is more to consider. I should head back to camp."

On my way back, I am interrupted by Henry.

"Hah, perfect timing, can you hold still for a moment?"

"Okayyy…"

He mumbles some incantations, performs some hand gestures, and declares the process completed.

"What was that for?"

"I was checking your aura. I've noticed several strange occurrences in Risen. Three distinct readings, in fact. The first is a straight up level of relative power the Risen has. The second seems to imply control. Most Risen seem to share this one, but you, Walhart, and the "Deadlord" your mother mentioned all were unique.

"And the third?"

"The third is weird, as it has always been constant. You are the first time I have ever seen different."

**Well, we revived ourself, maybe that has something to do with it?**

"One more thing, There is some residual spell on you, draining your magical power. Your body is restoring it faster than it is being drained, but I don't know exactly what will happen if you use too much magic and deplete your strength."

"Your point?"

"I hope you inherited Chrom's skill with a blade, because combat mage is no longer a feasible option for you." With those grim news, Henry runs off.

?'s POV

I stand across the field, watching my target issue orders to the various soldiers performing their tasks. At some point I will have make my presence known, but I will wait for a bit longer.

_You aren't the same frightened little girl running from Plegia anymore. You have grown strong, just like her. I promise we will meet again…_

**DH: Well that was one way to get back into writing shape.**

**Warren: ?, Really?**

**DH: That (OC) character will be revealed next chapter. Now onto the important stuff. The Poll Results! Warren, please read the results.**

**Warren: So that's why you wanted me here. Okay first is Dual Legacies, second is Why I Came Back/Convictions Re-invoked, and third is She Can't Be My Daughter.**

**DH: Just a few things to note. First off, I am scrapping Convictions Re-invoked. It was just a one-shot, and my personal test on one-shots did not turn out well. Second, I am officially thanking Cormag Ravenstaff for coming up for a different name for She Can't Be My Daughter, which is Parental Issues. Finally, I am working on side story to my works, The Soulseer, which will give a background and some history to my character Jem. **

**Until next time. **


	2. Chapter 2

**DH: Hello? Anyone here? No… FINALLY! NO INTERUPTIONS!**

**Alex: Not quite.**

**DH: GODSDAMMIT! Wait, Alex? Aceplayer22's Alex? I specifically warned you not to show up here.**

**Alex: Well, I heard your precious bodyguard Jem wasn't here, so what can you do to stop me?**

**DH: This. **_**Oh Holy Light, ensnare my foe with your chains of glory, IMPRISON**_**!**

**Alex: My eyes! Wait, I can't move! What the Hell?**

**DH: Not Hell, Heaven. You honestly thought I would hang around Vincent and not be ready to defend myself if needed? And people say I make unwarranted assumptions.**

**Alex: So what now?**

**DH: I'll let Jem punish you when he gets back. Believe me, I would be MUCH worse.**

**Note, this chapter is not in a single format. The beginning is a montage of a year of training. Later it becomes standard format.**

"**A god cannot die. Therefore it can have no fear of death. So who is braver, a god or a mortal?" Aaron Allston**

Chapter 2:  
>New Age<p>

Morgan's POV

**That's what, getting floored 10 times in 7 minutes?**_ The play-by-play isn't helping. _Lucina has agreed to help me train with the blade by sparring with wooden swords, but her experience is telling.

"Morgan, you need to focus."

"One more time." Shifting my strategy, I make the first strike. She turns away from my blow and brings the hilt of her sword down on my back, hard. I end up on the floor again. **If we weren't the same person, I would be making a joke about getting your ass handed to you by a girl. **_Like you would do better._

"Lucy, thanks for helping, can we pick this up tomorrow?"

"Sure."

…

"Still training?"

"If I can't sleep, I may as well perfect my technique. Walhart, would you help me?"

"I'll see what I can do."

…

_Ready? _**Ready. **I clear my mind of thought. **Right arm. **Without my input, or rather, with his input, my arm rises in the air.

_It works! _My arm immediately falls back to my side. _Whoops. _**Needs more practice.**

…

"Lucina are you here? Hey Luc-oh Morgan… you're here too." With that, Inigo leaves the sparring tent. **Well, that was awkwa-is Lucina BLUSHING?**

"Lucy, hello?"

"Right, training." As we clash, my mind goes into overdrive. Eventually our blades lock.

"So, Inigo." Lucy stiffens up, and I manage to use her surprise to overpower her.

"Now if only I could do that without cheap tricks."

…

"Morgan, what the hell are you doing?"

"Inigo, take care of Lucina, because if you ever hurt my sister, I will hunt you down." With that, I release my grasp on his collar.

…

"Mother, what do you mean we're being watched?"

"It is just a theory, but I keep on feeling a familiar aura around camp for the last few months."

"If it's familiar, wouldn't it be a friend?"

"The last person to be familiar to me tried to assassinate Em, and I believe he sent the Risen who almost killed your father. I doubt this one will be any different. Just promise me you will keep an eye out."

…

"Morgan, you have improved rather well."

"One last round."

"Let's go."

Lucina and I begin a deadly dance. The nonstop hours of practice has brought me to a near equal to Lucina in skill, but she doesn't have the endless endurance I now have. After several minutes, I see her starting to tire. _Now!_ **Switch! **I quickly relinquish control and watch as my other half quickly takes over. He starts to strike, but our combat styles are as different as Lucina's and mine. Lucina was unprepared for "my" shift in style and gets swiftly disarmed.

"Morgan, I am impressed. You truly have bested me."

"It wasn't a fair fight, I abused my stamina."

"That doesn't matter, you won. Congratulations."

…

"Morgan, I have something for you." Mother brings me to her tent. **I'm just glad she is having one of her good days, Mother's resistance to her Fell nature is remarkable.**

"What do you have?"

"When I first woke up, when your father found me, I was carrying a strange sword with me. I never used it because there was a dark aura settled over it, and it unnerved me. I don't have much skill with a sword anyways, so I never understood why I had it. Since I hear you bested Lucy in swordplay, I figured I would give it to you and have you decide what to do with it."

She pulls out a sword, and its sheathe. I can immediately sense the dark aura within it. **Throw this sword away. NOW!** _What are you talking about?"_ **I remember this sword. This sword belongs to Grima! He cut apart entire armies with it. They said that anyone so much as scratched by the blade would perish. Why does Mother have it? **_I don't know, but if Mother does have it, maybe it wasn't Grima's to begin with._

I take a closer look at the blade. Its blade was half the length of the Falchion, remarkably thin, and the third closest to the hilt was serrated. The blade was a blood-red and covered in black characters. **Grimleal Scripture.** Upon picking it up, I noticed the handle was also serrated, cutting into the hand of its wielder. It was light-weight, and I could tell it was built for quick, almost strategic strikes, slipping through the enemy's armor.

"Does this blade have a name?"

"When I first saw it, I heard a voice, calling it Retribution." _Retribution?_

"I will use it."

Just then, a scout ran in, declaring a large host of Risen nearby. Mother goes to gather the Shepherds, while I go to get a closer look at the enemy.

_Only 150 Risen this time, and they feel rather weak, except for two._ **It was one strong one that killed you. **_Because I couldn't dodge in the middle of the melee I was in. Wait a second._

I felt a third strong aura. This time behind me. I draw Retribution and turn, only to find a man in front of me. _Pure white hair, parted over his face, golden eye, with the other hidden behind his hair, and the signs of age. Who is this man? _

He seemed as surprised as me. "That sword... can it be?" He runs off.

_Weird. _**Agreed.**

The Shepherds finally arrive, and I relay the information on the enemy dispositions to Mother, not mentioning the strange man.

Mother quickly organizes the forces, and Lucina and I move toward the strong foes I sensed. We saw two Risen, an axman and a swordsman. I take the lead only for my head to ache. I sense the back of my neck start to burn. _**Fool, who is your enemy?**__My enemy, right._ I turn, ready to face my enemy. **WHY ARE YOU TARGETING LUCINA?! **Like that my mind clears, and realize I was ready to strike down my own sister. _Damn, mental manipulation? _**Be happy I didn't fall for it. **I ready myself, and launch at the swordsman. However, every blow I gave was easily deflected, and I could barely meet his. **This skill… another Deadlord? **_Seriously,__what are Deadlords? _**Grima's elite soldiers. We are not a match for this thing. Lucy is struggling as well. **

Suddenly, the strange man appeared, adding his blade to the fight against the Deadlord. Not able to keep up with two foes, his defenses slipped, and I manage to bring Retribution across his neck, dispersing him into ash. I quickly turn to help Lucina, and together we manage to take out the axmen as well. By the time I turned to our helper, he was gone. The rest of the Risen quickly fell.

While we celebrated our victory, I noticed Walhart, Virion, Say'ri, and Yen'fay all looked worried. _What is going on?_

?'s POV  
><em>That can't be him. He died years ago. No more waiting, time to get answers…<em>

**Alec: I thought you said you were going to introduce him.**

**DH: I did, I never said anything about revealing his name. **

**Jem: (entering) Vincent, next time you decide to assassinate a man by setting his house on fire, which should be never, MAKE SURE HE IS ACTUALLY IN THE HOUSE!**

**Vincent: Where is your flair, heh flare, for the dramatic? That was beautiful. Alec? What are you doing here?**

**DH: He tried causing some mischief.**

**Jem: finally showing your fangs?**

**DH: Yep.**

**Vincent: Alec, don't you know to never F*ck with the white mage?**

**DH: Seriously, does Cormag just give you these references to annoy me?**

**Vincent: You honestly think I would answer that?**

**Alec: Seriously, anyone going to let me out?**

**DH: Jem, he is all yours, just don't do anything **_**permanent**_**.**

**Jem: Lovely.**

**DH: for the sake of my teen rating, I probably need to stop here. So, later.**


	3. Chapter 3

**DH: 3 versions of this, and more time worked on than any other chapter. Seriously, F*ck this chapter… F*ck this chapter… F*CK… THIS… CHAPTER!**

**Vincent: Dark Habit, pay up.**

**DH: For what? Wait… you didn't.**

**Jem: WHY IS MY HAIR PINK?**

**Vincent: I did.**

**DH: *laughter* I was joking when I bet you! Still, so worth it, 500 gold to you.**

**Jem: You bet him that he wouldn't dye my hair pink?**

**DH: Actually, I bet him to dye it red.**

**Vincent: I ran out of dye, and well, your hair is already white, so... pink.**

**DH: I needed this so much! *laughter***

**Jem: I will get you both back for this.**

**"What distinguishes a flower from a weed is only-and exactly-this: the choice of the gardener." Matthew Stover**

Chapter 3:

Old Acquaintances

Morgan's POV

The day after the battle, I head to the weapons tent. Outside the flap, I overhear a conversation, or rather, an interrogation.

"-time, Walhart, what is your interest with Warren?"

"Put the sword down Jem, I keep telling you, no one in this camp goes by that name."

"Why do you insist on lying to me; we both know I can easily pull the truth from you."

"And your _method_ would show I am not lying."

"Fine, let just see what is floating in that helmet of yours."

**This can't be good.** I charge in, only to see that the swordsman, apparently named Jem, now has his blade at Walhart's neck.

"Get away from my companion."

Jem sheathes his blade. "If that is what you wish."

"Now explain who you are and why you are here."

"You know who I am, Warren. You and Hope are why I am here." _Warren?_ **Don't ask me.**

"You have the wrong man. I am Morgan."

"Don't try to hide it. I recognize Retribution. You and Hope are the only two people who don't perish for wielding it." _Okay, what? __**Told you it was evil.**_ _Stop trying to score points!_

"I can't be who you are looking for. I am from another time entirely."

"That… doesn't make much sense."

**What response did you expect?** "I am from the future. I wasn't around more than three years ago."

He brushes his hair away, revealing that his right eye was actually made of stone.

"What? You can't be telling the truth… but there is no deceit in your intentions."

"Time travel. Honestly, I don't even fully understand it."

"Why did you come here then?"

"Usual reasons, Doomsday; end of mankind; rise of the living dead." **Usual?**

"…I mean this army."

"My parents leads it."

"Your parents? You can't mean…"

"Chrom and Hope, yes."

"Jem, leave off the boy."

"Don't tell me what to do. I am still ready to kill you the moment you regress."

"You caught me off guard, _assassin_. Let see you beat me in a fair fight."

"Walhart, what is the deal between you and Jem? You conquer his homeland?"

"He hated me before that, but that as well. We used to be, for lack of better terms, partners."

_Partners?_

"Care to explain?"

"Ancient history, boy, between me and Jem."

"That only makes me more curious."

"Well, tough, because I am not proud of helping him."

"Enough of the past, Jem. Why are you here now, and what does it have to do with our tacticians?

"I owe someone a favor I couldn't repay. Looking after her family is all I can do."

"Family?"

"I promised to protect your mother and her brother from the Grimleal. When this strife is over, maybe I can let go." _Brother? I have an uncle? _**Mother never mentioned him. **_Too be fair, she never told you Chrom was our father. _**Fair enough.**

He turns to leave.

"Where are you going?"

"I am part of the shadows. I can't fight alongside you, but I will be making my moves behind the scenes."

With that he leaves the tent.

"Walhart, can we trust him?"

"His honor is the only thing he holds dear. If he promised to help, I believe him."

I rush to follow Jem, only to run into a confused Inigo.

"Did you see him?"

"See who?"

_He only had a few seconds! _**Apparently, he is a very GOOD assassin.**

"Never mind…"

* * *

><p>Hope's POV<p>

"Milord, I have returned."

"Yes Frederick? Did you find it?"

"I believe so, sire. King Validar has extended an invitation. He says Plegia has been guarding Sable, and he now wishes to return it to you.

"Chrom it's a trap. There is no way he doesn't realize our plans. He's simply setting up for the endgame."

"Do we have a choice otherwise?"

"No, we don't. We need to outplay him. Frederick, Lucina, find Morgan. There needs to be a major strategy session."

* * *

><p>Jem's POV<p>

_Validar is finally making his move. I won't let you hurt them. You may have the initiative, but you are playing MY game. _

**Vincent: Seriously, why take three chapters to introduce Jem? We all knew that it would be him.**

**DH: I like delaying. I realized that when I mentioned an OC in this, most people would jump to the ONLY OC I have mentioned, minus the one in Soulseer. **

**Don't be disappointed, I have way more OCs in my later stories. Unfortunately, keeping their facts separate is driving me nuts. How Cormag designed all of your kids without becoming truly insane, I don't know.**

…**How did get pass my password on my computer?**

**Vincent: Jem told me. Seriously, though… "Darkest before the dawn"? Vain much?**

**DH: One to talk… JEM, WHY?**

**JEM: It annoys you. Revenge against you, complete. Revenge on Vincent, later.**

**DH: And my stress is back. Great. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Vincent: Finally get the first word. Screw you DH!**

**DH: *sigh* Really? You care about that?**

**Jem: Stop. Just… stop.**

**DH: Back to the "canon" plot, but with my twists still in effect. **

**Unrelated note, can we go one chapter with the three of us without something weird occurring?**

**Vincent: You're talking to me here.**

**DH: Put it this way, you pull that off, you don't die… again.**

"**Those are only words. They are half-truths. Less. They are lies. The truth is always greater than the words we use to describe it." Matthew Stover**

Chapter 4:  
>Ambush<p>

Lucina's POV

"There it sits."

Aunt Lissa turns to me. "What's wrong Lucina?"

"That great skull. I saw it once before, when Emmeryn was sentenced to death. Even then it reminded me of… him…"

Father stops walking. "You mean…"

I nod. "Yes. Grima, the Fell Dragon. A cataclysmic war ushered his return… It's said he fed on the souls of the fallen before turning upon the living…"

* * *

><p>"<em>So ends the human race. The future is built upon the past… But your kind will never see it!" His purple eyes gleam through the dust.<em>

_Your mother and father… are dead, tiny one. And now it is your turn… TO DIE!" _

_He moves to engulf me. I raise Falchion to defend myself, ready to defy Grima to the very end…_

* * *

><p>I shake my head, distancing myself from the memories. <em>If Morgan hadn't tackled me out of the way, I WOULD have died. <em>

"…Whether these are his true bones or just an effigy, I cannot say. But I know this: we cannot let that monster come back to life.

Hope finally speaks up. "We'll stop him. I-we have gone through too much to let it end the same way. I refuse to accept that we simply can't win. Screw destiny. We will make our own future."

I shake my head. "I want to believe that, Hope. I want to believe that, more than anything…

* * *

><p>Hope's POV<p>

"Chrom…"

"What's wrong?"

"Armed soldiers, in the shadows."

"Sounds like we have our answer already."

Validar and Aversa enter the audience chamber. "Prince Chrom! Welcome."

"…I was told you had something you wished to give me."

"My, my! No time for courtesy? Such impatience."

I speak up. "Sorry, patience has lately been something in short supply."

"This concerns me. The Gemstones and Emblem can be…treacherous artifacts. A fact Plegia and the Grimleal sadly know all too well..."

Lucina steps in. "'Sadly'? You speak ill of when the first exalt used them against the Fell Dragon?"

"Yes I do, INTRUDER!"

"Intruder?"

"You are not supposed to be her. You must be destroyed."

"Chrom, did I not tell you? Validar, this is a declaration of war."

"I will only ask one last time: give me the Emblem. Now!"

Chrom simply says one word. "…Never."

"Then this parley is over. Guards! Seize them!"

I shoot a bolt of lightning at the guards and call Chrom. "This way! Quickly!"

We meet up with the rest of the Shepherds. I quickly call out, "Plan B!"

* * *

><p>Morgan's POV<p>

Father gives the final order. "We have to get out of here now! Cut down anyone who gets in the way!"

_Things must be really bad. _**We are in the Plegian castle, surrounded by Grimleal, and we need to fight our way out… BAD doesn't begin to describe it.**

"Lucina, let's move."

The two of us, Walhart and Priam lead the group, shoving aside several small groups of soldiers. As our momentum stalls, we break off. In our wake, Mother, Father, Sully, and Stahl smash into the soldiers. Lon'qu, Henry, Kellam, and Ricken repeat the process.

_All's well and good, so why am I feeling like something is about to happen? _I reach out with my senses, only to realize the trap we were walking into.

"Mother, a bunch of mages with Mire tomes!" Despite the Mire spell's infamous inaccuracy, enough shots will trap us. _I don't want to die TWICE to the same damn spell! _

**What if we turn it back on them? **_…huh?_**There are three of us who can use dark magic here. Us, Mother, and Henry. We simply send Mire spells at THEM. They won't expect it.**

_Can we really do that? Remember Henry's warning about over-use of magic._ **In moderation, yes.**

I offer this idea to Mother, and together the three of us manage to subdue the mages.

_Killing with the spell that killed me. Ironic._

The Shepherds manage to reach the enemy commander.

"Heh heh... Leaving Plegia so soon? No, please, stay awhile. Stay...forever!"

"No thanks. Never been a fan of deserts."

I charge at him. He brings his ax down, but it was simple to dodge aside and counter. My first strike landed at his elbow, crippling his ability to attack again. A second strike to the leg brought him to his knees.

"No!" I run him through. "Hyaughhh..."

With that, we manage to pierce the enemy trap and escape.

* * *

><p>"Almost there! The exit is just— Wait. Do you feel..."<p>

Validar literally appears out of nowhere and blast Father with dark magic.

"Run all you like—you can't escape fate. Don't you know that?"

Unbidden, both me and Lucina yell. "Father!"

"The Emblem. Give it freely, or it will be taken."

Father remains defiant. "Just try it."

Validar simply laughs. "I didn't say I would take it. HOPE!"

Pain pounds at my skull, and both me and Mother grasp our heads.

"Seize the Emblem and bring it to me."

I feel an urge to obey, but after my last experience with mind magic, I was prepare and able to resist. Mother, however, takes the Emblem and gave it to Validar.

Father was surprised. "Hope… What are you…doing!?"

"Well done, my child. At last, the Fire Emblem belongs to me. And with my Gemstone, it is complete! Now, to set the Table and perform the rite..."

_Wait… HIS CHILD? THIS is my GRANDFATHER? _

All of a sudden. A man jumped in, forcing Validar to retreat. As he turns around, I realize it is Jem once again. This time, his hair has been tied into a warrior's knot, similar to some soldiers I saw in Chon'sin.

"RUN!"

Lucina was skeptical. "Who are you?"

"A friend, NOW GO!"

The Shepherds manage to escape, but Jem stayed behind, to do who knows what…

* * *

><p>Jem's POV<p>

_Shoddy soldiers. They have no idea what they are doing._

I managed to fight my way through the keep, only to find Validar and his proxy Aversa in my path.

"Finally. VALIDAR, SHE WILL BE AVENGED!"

The witch laughs. "Which 'she' are you speaking of? So many people have been 'blessed' to share their presence with Lord Grima."

"It doesn't matter. I know that she can finally rest when the man responsible for her death is laid in the ground!"

Dark laughter emerges from behind me. The hierophant stands there, a dark magic tome in her hand.

"Fool, you think you could challenge Grima? Still, you are an expert warrior. You will be worthwhile to make into a Risen. Perhaps maybe even a Deadlord would be the result."

I look into her mind only to mentally reel. _That can't be…_

With one blast the hierophant defeats me, and I know I am dying. As the world faded to black I had time for a couple final thoughts.

_I failed. Hope, Morgan… the rest is up to you…_

…_Raven, are you waiting for me?_

**Vincent: You killed Jem… you actually killed him.**

**DH: Well, the version of him in this loop of Awakening.**

**Jem: *sigh* Did you have to bring up Raven?**

**DH: I love hinting stuff, so, yes. For those of you wondering, she WILL show up in The Soulseer, and she has several amazing moments.**

**Next chapter of this will start with my favorite scene in Awakening.**

**Vincent: Not to say it's my fault or anything… but the kitchen may be on fire.**

**DH: DAMMIT VINCENT. GET READY TO EMBRACE OBLIVION! **

**Vincent: what are you going to do, Holy me to death?**

**Jem: Don't give him ideas. Dark Habit calm down. You will just destroy this place.**

**DH: No, I have put up with too much stupidity as it is. This is the last straw. **

**Jem: While Dark Habit gets some anger out of his system, I guess I will give the ou-**

**Vincent: OW! Okay that hurt. Stop! Remember the pink h- OW!**

**DH: *fake care* Oh, don't worry. You will just come back to life, once again.**

**Vincent: True bu- OW! LET ME GET A WORD IN!**

**Jem: *sigh* Until next time. STOP TRYING TO KILL HIM!**


	5. Chapter 5

**DH: I know it's been a while, but I had three papers due over three days. I literally had no time to write this.**

**Vincent: Excuses, excuses. **

**Jem: grow up.**

**Vincent: You really want to start with me?**

**DH: If you are going to fight, do it outside, I just finished cleaning up the last brawl.**

**Vincent: That YOU started!**

**Jem: You DID set his kitchen on fire.**

**Vincent: Do I need to bring Alex in here?**

**DH: Don't you dare… there won't be anything of you to bring back if you try.**

**"You can't look dignified when you're having fun" Wes Janson, Solo Command**

Chapter 5:  
>The Beginning of the End<p>

Lucina's POV

_She's just standing there. What is she thinking?_

"Beg pardon, Hope. Might I have a word?"

She shakes her head snapping out of whatever daydream she was having. "…Lucina. What is it.?"

"It's about my father. I have memories of him, you know. From when I was little. Before he…died."

"I see…"

"He was courageous, and kind, and everyone spoke fondly of him. People say he was brave right up to the very end. I always yearned to know him better. And now that I do… I can see that the world will be robbed of a very great man. …I won't allow that to happen.

"I understand, you love him. …So do I, so does all the Shepherds."

"Hope, I… Please, forgive me…" I draw Falchion and point it at Hope. Shock and anger appears on her face.

"Lucina?!"

"Stay where you are, Hope! I have no choice, I must kill you." _Morgan, please forgive me._

"Are you insane? What is going on?"

"In my future, you… You are my father's murderer."

Hope become more somber. "I realize that. I constantly had nightmares of Chrom's death. When you revealed that Chrom was killed by someone dear to him, they intensified. During the Valmese War, I realized that I was responsible, but I could never understand just why I would strike down the man I loved. Finding out that Validar has some control over me… I understand entirely."

"If my father is right, then we can change our fates. If this dark future is to be averted, sacrifices must be made."

Hope's body tenses up, and her voice shifts. "**Enough.**"

"What the-"

"**I refuse to die here. Time to finish what we started a year ago. There won't be anyone to save you this time.**" Magic begins to form in her hand.

_So be it._

* * *

><p>Morgan's POV<p>

"**There won't be anyone to save you this time.**"

_MOTHER! _**Don't tell me she went Fell again. **_She's going to kill Lucy! What do we do?_ **I think I can stop it. Give me control. **_What the—_**Just do it! **

Relenting, I hand over control of our body to my other half. He immediately charged in putting us between Mother and Lucina.

"Stop, both of you!"

"**Why should I? She threatened me first.**"

"Because this infighting is exactly what Validar would want us to do. Are you really going to let your emotions play you into his hands?"

"**I-I.**.. no, I won't fall his tricks." The spell Mother was ready to cast fades away.

"Lucina, please, put down Falchion."

"Why? She kills our father! She is the reason Grima can come back and why we lost everyone."

"Lucina, could you kill me too?"

"What?"

"When Validar took control of Mother, it affected me as well. If he had actually been aiming for me, I doubt I would have been able to resist. I am just as liable for betrayal. So again, could you kill me?"

_Harsh._ **We don't have a choice** **in this matter.**

Lucina's sword hand begins to tremble. "No, I can't do it!" she lets the Falchion drop into the ground.

Taking back control, I hold her. "I understand you're afraid, I am too. But tearing apart the Shepherds is not the answer."

"Morgan… please forgive me. I can't lose Father, not again."

Mother walks up. "Neither can the two of us. Together, we will stop this future from happening… somehow.

"I need to go." Lucina runs off, leaving me alone with Mother.

"So, Mother… Validar is my grandfather. Any more relatives I should know about? Virion's not your cousin? You aren't next in line for the Chon'sin throne?"

Mother laughs. "No, nothing like that. I never told you Validar was my father because I didn't believe it, I didn't WANT to believe it. …Wait, do you feel that?"

I did. It was a pair of Risen, strong ones.

"Deadlords."

The two slowly move towards us. One was a sorcerer, the other was wielding a lance. _Not a good matchup._

The lance-wielder surprises us, by coherently speaking. "Holy One. Traitor. Lord Grima sends his regards."

_Guessing I am the traitor. _**Nice observation, genius!**

The sorcerer also begins to speak. "We have come to collect you. By force if you resist."

I step forward. "Tell Grima that his regards are unappreciated, and that we won't be leaving our comrades."

Mother starts to cast a spell. "Grima really thought only two of you could bring us back? I thought a GOD would better estimate his enemies."

The sorcerer smiles grimly. "The others are at your camp as we speak. Unless I say otherwise, your forces will be decimated. If you wish for them to keep their futile existence a little longer, you shall come with us."

Two more Deadlords, a female archer and a swordsman, suddenly show up, but they look to be in rough shape. "The lesser traitor and Naga's heir have escaped us."

_Naga's heir? I think that is Tiki, but who is the lesser traitor? _**The only other Risen with us, Walhart.**

The sorcerer seems upset. "You failed to capture them. What's more, you come here?" Almost punctuating his sentence, a blast of dragon-fire strikes the lancer, sending him flying. "Fools! They followed you!"

Forgetting that Mother had been casting a spell, he turned to where Tiki and Walhart rush towards us. Mother quickly blasts him with dark magic, and draws her knife. As the sorcerer got up, she stabbed the Deadlord in his throat, creating a burst of ash and miasma.

I draw Retribution, and rush the archer. The swordsman stands in my path. He strikes quickly, but I manage to dive under his blow, bringing Retribution across his leg. He drops to one knee and I slice him in two.

Walhart strikes down the archer, almost lazily. The lancer gets up and snarls.

"Fools, with him dead, your camp is doomed!"

I laugh. "You underestimated us twice already. I doubt the camp is in real danger."

The lancer lunges for me, only to be destroyed by another blast of dragon-fire. Tiki turns back to her human form. "Are you okay?"

"Me and Mother are a little shaken, but I am more concerned about the camp. How did you two escape?"

Walhart glances away. "I followed Tiki out of camp, hoping to finally apologize for the hardships I caused. They didn't expect the two of us to work well together."

I laugh again. "Walhart the Conqueror, apologizing? The world really must be ending."

Mother shakes her head. "Time to return to camp. I doubt they would know how to make idle threats."

* * *

><p>"Lucina, are you okay?"<p>

"I'm fine. The only ones who got injured were Owain and Cynthia, but nothing a night with our healers won't fix."

"Too much grandstanding again?"

"Unfortunately, yes." She glanced down. "Morgan, can we honestly win? Everything I have done to try to prevent Grima's return has come undone…And now that we know who kills father, we can't do anything!"

"Not everything has failed. The Fire Emblem…"

"…Is in Validar's hand along with all the gemstones."

"He only has one of them."

She looks at me. "What?"

I reach into my sleeve and pull out Gules. "Mother realized that they would want to steal the Emblem. So, she obtained several fakes and replaced all of them. I know Mother has Vert, and of course Validar has Sable, but even I don't know where the last two are."

"Their fake?"

"Yes. Validar is in for a nasty surprise…"

**Vincent: World must be ending joke? Really?**

**DH: You have no right to comment on bad taste jokes. Besides, I thought the black humor was clever.**

**Jem: It's sort of off putting.**

**DH: And return of the gang up.**

**?: You deserve it.**

**Jem: *panicked* No, you died.**

**Alard: You mean you KILLED me.**

**Vincent: NOT ME! Also, DH know any exorcism spells?**

**DH: One Light Magic spell, and people think you are a master at it.**

**Jem: So you don't know it?**

**DH: I do, I just don't want people assuming it.**

**Alard: don't you dare.**

**DH: I dare. **_**Unholy shadow, let the light cast you out. EXORCISE!**_

**Vincent: That works fast.**

**DH: *gasp* You have no idea how tiring Light Magic is, flame-brain. **

**Jem: Flame-brain?**

**DH: F*ck off. I'm out!**


End file.
